Schizophrenia Update (December 2003) Letters
to the Editor and Site News

Schizophrenia.com - Site
Update

Sorry for the delay in the
newsletter, we've been very busy upgrading the schizophrenia.com web
site (please check out the new design and all the new information we've
added - at www.schizophrenia.com
).

New Brain Imaging and
Pictures of Schizophrenia

Perhaps the most interesting
new information on the web site are the stories and pictures showing
the progression of the disease. Please see these at the following link
- scroll down to see all the brain images using new neuroimaging computers:

We've also greatly updated
the server and software that our discussion and chat software resides
on - so if you've every been on the discussions and found them rather
slow or difficult to get onto - please try again; we think you'll like
the new and faster experience!

We've also added new country-specific
discussion areas for the following countries. These are designed
to help people from these countries share their experiences and discuss
the unique challenges that may be relevant to individuals and families
suffering from schizophrenia. Please join in - and post a message to
get things going. Countries represented include:

I'm working for Medecin Sans
Frontiers, a Belgian NGO, in a mental
health project in Armenia where I'm responsible for the information,
education and communication of the project.

My main task is to "change
the mentality" of the public towards mental health. Most family
members of people with mental retardation or a mental illness are ashamed
and hide their ill family members from the outside world. Some mentally
ill people didn't see daylight for several years, some of them are living
for more than ten years in stables before we see them.

Do you have any idea about
other projects in 'developing countries' or former USSR-states, who
have tried to work on the mentality of the general public towards mental
illness?

Do you know about other organisations
who could help me to get an idea about what I can do to 'promote' understanding
of mental illness towards people who are not really interested in mental
health? I'm looking forward to your answer.

Luk - I'm sorry I can't help
you directly - but I'm sure my subscribers have experience with this.
I encourage any of our readers who have information that might be of
value to you to email you directly and get you the information. It sounds
like a very valuable project!

Writer Seeks Personal
Stories of Children of Parents with Schizophrenia
Virginia Holman, author of Rescuing Patty Hearst:: Memories From a
Decade Gone Mad, who was honored with a Literary Award at NAMI's 2003
national convention, is seeking candidates to interview who are the
children of parents with schizophrenia, Individuals selected will be
profiled in an article about the experiences of children growing up
with
a parent with schizophrenia. Candidates need to meet three requirements:

1. The parent must have a
formal diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Documentation is required.
2. As a child or adolescent, the interviewee must have resided with
the
parent at least five years following diagnosis. Documentation also may
be required.
3. Candidates must not have told their story previously either through
public-speaking or any other media venue.